Extension Funding Opportunities Through NC SARE

by Rick Koelsch

North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NC SARE) runs multiple competitive grant programs that may be of interest to faculty with an applied research or extension interest. NC SARE emphasizes outreach/engagement and farmer involvement (both in proposed projects and review panels), two features that should give Extension faculty a unique advantage. Rick Rasby and his team utilized these advantages in a recently announced $198,000 grant award.

NC SARE funds three priorities: 1) profit for the long-term, 2) stewardship of natural resources, and 3) quality of life improvements in communities.  While many equate organic agriculture with sustainable agriculture, organic projects comprise only 10 to 15% of the funding portfolio.  NC SARE funds a array of topics including soil/water/nutrient stewardship, local foods and urban agriculture initiatives, clean energy, sustainable pest management, crop diversification, and forage and grassland management. .

The NC SARE program offers competitive funding opportunities in five areas.  A quick summary follows and more information is found at  http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Our-Grant-Programs .

Professional Development Program (pre-proposals due in mid-May)

• Funds professional development for "agricultural educators" including extension, natural resource agency, and non-government organization staff. 
• Funds requests for up to $75,000.
• Tapan Pathak has recently been successful with a project addressing agriculture adapting to a changing climate.

Research and Education Program (Pre-proposals due on October 24, 2013)

• Funds requests for up to $200,000.
• All research projects must have an outreach emphasis.
• Rick Rasby's successful proposal targets Impacts of Grazing and Baling of Corn Residue.

Farmer and Rancher Program (Proposals due on November 14, 2013)

• Grants range for $7,500 to $22,500 are made directly to farmers and ranchers.
• Target farmer proposed sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research and demonstration.
• Must include outreach component with Extension encouraged as a partner.
• A Nebraska  producer recently received funding to determine the feasibility of integrating oil seed production into the existing rotation, processing the oil seed into food-grade oil for local resturant use, and retrieving used oil for re-use as bio-diesel.

Youth Educator Program (Proposals due on November 1, 2013)

• Targets educators working with youth on sustainable agriculture concepts.
• Grants are for up to $2,000.
• An Urban Farmers Program in a Lincoln middle school was funded to connect children to the soil and the origins of their food. 

Graduate Student Grant Program (Proposals typically due in the spring)

• Grant awards can be up to $10,000.
• Encourages graduate student connections with  on-farm research experiences.
• Two East Campus graduate students received funding for projects addressing Management of CRP Lands and Agronomic Benefits of Cover Crop Mix Diversity.

NC SARE provides many unique funding opportunties for Extension. Many of the UNL Extension Signature Outcomes addressing water conservation, soil health, agricultural literacy, professional development for natural resource issues, on-farm measures of sustainability, on-farm research, and nutrient management are a potential fit with NC SARE funding opportunities.  Visit with Gary Lesoing, Nebraska's SARE contact person, or myself about your ideas for pursuing SARE funding.

Sharing Extension TV with Clientel

by Rick Koelsch

UNL Extension recently released Extension TV, a technology product that provides a new and exciting opportunity to share the University's research and science in a format preferred by many clientele. So how do we get our clientele turning to Extension TV?  And how are you using Extension TV as a resource to answer clientele's next question?

Extension TV is an example of innovation by UNL Extension (see August 14, 2013 blog). Take advantage of opportunities to proudly share this resource with peers, clientele, and friends. Here are a few ideas of how.  Please post a comment to this blog with your own examples or ideas.

• Do a little homework on Extension TV.  Review the one minute introductory video at http://ExtensionTV.unl.edu, play with the search engine to find content on topics of interest, or attend the archived webinar (https://connect.unl.edu/p8a3y4crisk/).
• Share the Extension TV graphic (jpeg is at http://go.unl.edu/us33 ) or the August 14 Rick's Ramblings blog through your social media networks, newsletters, or as a hard copy at your office entrance (pdf -  http://go.unl.edu/extensiontv-handout).
• Use your next radio, social media, or newspaper media release to  recommend a video from Extension TV that illustrates a concept you are addressing.
• Keep Extension TV web link close at hand for the next client that walks through the door or calls with a question.  Search Extension TV for an answer to their question.
• Host your next webinar on Extension TV. The TV screen on Extension TV can house a graphic linking to web presentation. Linda Temple will set up the link to your Adobe Connect or Google Hangouts session in the TV screen.  The link to your future webinar can be promoted as http://ExtensionTV.unl.edu.
• Draw upon your 4-Hers to promote this resource to friends, parents and grandparents.  The Extension TV video of the experiences of 37 Saline, Gage, and Jefferson youth at Washington DC Focus trip might be shared by these young people with friends and family.
• Re-purpose one or more slides from Introducing Extension TV (http://www.slideshare.net/rkoelsch1/extension-tv-webinar-aug-19-presentation) to a future presentation, pre-meeting Extension promotion, or other display.

Extension TV must not be another best kept secret.  Proudly help our clientele discover the rich content found on Extension TV.